The number of yarn bobbins typically mounted upon a creel stand associated with a knitting machine or machines may number from about 30 to over 100. The quantity of fiber waste generated from the yarns passing from the creel stand is therefore quite large, particularly when the yarn is comprised of cotton. After the fiber waste has become airborne, it will tend to settle upon and adhere to the bobbins or yarns, thereby causing yarn breakage and defects in the fabric being knitted. This, of course, lowers the quality of the fabric, and also impairs the efficiency of the knitting operation.
It has previously been proposed to direct a current of air downwardly from a fan or blower located above the creel stand. This approach is of little benefit, however, since the air flow merely temporarily displaces the fiber waste, and does not collect the same or prevent its migration to adjacent creel stands and/or knitting machines.
It has also heretofore been proposed to enclose the creel stand by a hermetic covering, and to then collect the fiber waste by use of a motor driven fan and waste-collecting filters disposed within the hermetic covering. However, providing a hermetic covering is quite costly, and its presence complicates the knitting operation.
Creel stands for knitting machines are provided in different shapes and sizes. For example, circular creel stands having an inner section that is substantially empty of bobbins and an outer section surrounding the inner section that supports and contains the bobbins are quite commonly used. Similarly, rectangular creel stands having multiple, juxtaposed creel sections are also frequently used. Co-pending application Ser. No. 07/869,305, filed Apr. 16, 1992, owned by the assignee of this application, discloses a fiber waste removal and collection system for circular creels. However, that system is not readily adaptable to rectangular creels having multiple, juxtaposed creel sections.